Mohammedan Sporting Club and Gazi Group Cricketers booked their places in the Super League stage of the ongoing Dhaka Premier League season after their respective wins on Friday.
Mohammedan beat Brothers Union by five wickets at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka聽while聽Gazi Group thrashed City Club by eight wickets at the Khan Saheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah.
In the other match of the day, Partex Sporting Club beat Rupganj Tigers by three wickets at BKSP聽but聽that did not change anything in terms of the relegation battle聽as聽both teams will now play in the three-team relegation聽league,聽alongside Gazi Tyres Cricket Academy.
At SBNS, left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed wreaked havoc for Mohammedan as he picked up five wickets to bowl Brothers out for just 135.
Batting first, Brothers lost Abdul Mazid for a golden duck in the first over to Abu Hider Rony before Nasum struck twice to get rid of Rahmatullah Ali (1) and Imtiaz Hossain (2) in consecutive overs.
Mahmudul Hasan and Rahatul Ferdous scored 45 each聽but聽that could not save them from being bowled out a meagre total as eight of their batters failed to reach double digits.
Besides Nasum鈥檚 five-for, Mehidy Hasan Miraz picked up three wickets for Mohammedan.
Chasing 135, Mohammedan skipper Imrul Kayes took charge from the very start, reaching his fifty off just 36 balls, and his opening stand with Rony Talukdar produced 66 runs聽with聽the latter contributing just 10.
Despite no contribution from the middle-order, Kayes kept on his charge and ensured the win for Mohammedan in just 23.2 overs as he stayed unbeaten on 92 runs off 71 balls, hitting 12 fours and three sixes.
In Fatullah, Gazi Group needed a win to ensure their Super League berth聽and聽their bowlers provided the perfect foundation for them to do so, bowling City Club out for 181.
Rafsan Al Mahmud was the top-scorer for City Club with 37, while Ruyel Miah picked up three wickets for Gazi Group, alongside two wickets apiece for Husna Habib, Abdul Gaffar Saqlain, and Moin Khan.
In reply, a brilliant century from Habibur Rahman Sohan, who stayed unbeaten 102 off 81 balls聽including聽10聽fours and six sixes, alongside Anisul Islam鈥檚 50-ball 61, saw Gazi Group chase down the total in just 24.1 overs聽eight聽wickets in hand.
At BKSP, Jashim Uddin鈥檚 81 and Sohag Gazi鈥檚 67 off 56 balls saw Rupganj Tigers post 259-8. Mohor Sheikh and Muktar Ali picked up three wickets each for Partex.
In reply, Tanbir Hayder鈥檚 unbeaten 72, alongside a run-a-ball 58 from Ahrar Amin, saw Partex chase the total down in the penultimate over of the game with three wickets in hand.